Vikings: 9 Most Shocking Moments So Far
Betrayals, twists and THAT Blood Eagle...
Vikings is by no means a show that someone watches to relax. The historical show follows the legend of Ragnar and his sons and their conquest throughout England and other parts of Europe and we see firsthand the brutality that the Vikings could reap.
Yet during our time with these warriors, we grow to love many of the characters due to the excellent writing and masterclass acting. Even the characters you want to hate have some perversely appealing quality that makes you feel some form of sympathy when they meet their untimely end. Even if it's well deserved.
Because the thing about Vikings is they generally all DO meet their ends. Often in grisly, memorable fashion. And in such an environment, it's impossible to feel at ease. Which means the shocks come thicker, faster and more effective.
Vikings not only has amazing battle sequences, but a perfect blend of drama added to keep even the most squeamish of people invested in the story. Even for those that know the legend of Ragnar there is always an unexpected twist and turn. But which are the most shocking?
Naturally, there are SPOILERS AHEAD!
9. King Egbert's Master Plan
King Egbert is a fan favorite and a villain that is near impossible to hate. He spent a lot of his time with Ragnar discussing each other's cultures and learning from one another and in that time, he learned what Ragnar’s true dream and purpose for coming to England was. It wasn’t to raid or gain wealth but instead to harvest the lands and build a colony of farmers due to the richer soil that England has compared to Kattegat.
After having played a part in Ragnar’s death - more of which soon - King Egbert essentially sealed his fate with the sons of Ragnar. Once the Great Heathen Army invades Wessex, Egbert knows that nothing will stand in their way of rightfully obtaining land in the name of Ragnar and exacting revenge.
In his final moments King Egbert renounces hit title as king to his son Aethelwulf and allows for him and the others to escape. Once captured Egbert signs the decree stating that a piece of land formally belongs to the Vikings, but since Egbert is no longer king that is not his land to give and the decree is meaningless. This allows Aethelwulf to attack with no repercussions and the Vikings to be caught off guard.